We’ve all received those Christmas cards that include a carefully drafted letter from the sender, re-capping their family’s entire year’s accomplishments – “Suzie was pre-pre-accepted into Yale…at the age of 15”, “Tommy built an entire house for a homeless family… with his bare hands”, “Dad got the big promotion and found a cure for cancer”…. and on. and on.
Now don’t get me wrong, those are all wonderful things and I love to hear about what others are up to and the blessings God has given them….but I often wonder about the things that didn’t make it into the letter.
What are the things they chose not to tell you about this year?
I believe in being real. I mean…. really real. That is, nobody is perfect…
(hmmm, suddenly I have the lyrics of a certain teen pop-sensation’s music running through my mind and I’m fighting the urge to do some fist pumps in the air along with the beat ‘Nobody’s perfect, I gotta work it again and again”…. alright, digress already).
So, in an effort to promote ‘real-ness’, I present you with our Christmas letter….
no filter.
just simply a real , honest-to-goodness narration of our year (+ photos ).
Yippee! Just what you always wanted!
This year:
Chris and Ashley helped paint and re-decorate an office building for an adoption agency.
Ashley was as bossy as usual
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Ashley initiated a genius plan to spray paint, mod podge and glitter-ify a large bouncy ball.
She had good intentions. Honest!
No further comments.
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Chris and Ashley bought their first home.
It came with this kitchen wallpaper (no extra charge).
They kept it for a while….just because it was certainly way
easier than actually doing something about it.
(sorry for the pic Ma, it was the only one I had)
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Chris took Ashley our for many dates to get ice cream over the summer.
So much so, that she almost couldn’t fit into her wedding dress.
woops!
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Ashley is a wonderful cook.
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Ashley made a quilt for a wonderful friend’s baby.
her first quilt, ever.
probably her last quilt, ever.
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Chris played on a church basketball team.
They were magnificent!
Their record is 0 wins, many losses.
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Ashley mis-printed the wrong uncle’s name with the wrong family’s
name and address on a wedding invitation.
Chris discovered the error after everything had already been mailed off.
Ashley cried.
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Ashley received a sewing machine for her birthday….
then promptly lost the manual.
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Sometimes Aunt Ashley and Uncle Chris mean well, but….
things just don’t work out.
Sorry for the ride-of-terror, Pickle.
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Chris has specially designed, high-end protective eye wear for when he has to chop onions.
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Ashley was late to her own rehearsal dinner because her nail appointment ran late.
There was also a spelling error in her apparently-not-so-carefully proofread home-made ceremony programs.
Ashley cried.
woops.
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Chris refined his sick sense of humor.
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Chris and Ashley got a new camera.
Chris enjoys taking pictures of Ashley doing her usual stuff.
Ashley continues to use the coffee table as added height to see her full ensemble in the mirror before heading out the door.
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This concludes our year in review.
The End
What do you think? Too much, too fast?
Well, I’d be interested to hear what you would share in your ‘real’ Christmas update letter.
…and, cue music and fist pumps!
**********
Nobody’s perfect,
I’ve gotta work it
again, and again
‘til I get it right
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